Good example of report on human resources management in the tourism industry

A seasoned tourist arrives for his first trip to a culture completely difference from his own. As he steps from the airplane, he is greeted by the sights and sounds of an exciting new country. Then reality strikes: he can’t understand anything being said to him. He fumbles with hand signals and passports and hotel reservations. He is directed from one place to another, completely confused about where he is going or what he is to do. Finally, a young woman introduces herself as his tour guide, takes him in hand, and the rest of his vacation runs smoothly. His expectations for service are high, but they are met. His guide is knowledgeable about his destinations and helpful with all his questions. It is essential for the safety and satisfaction of tourists that their human resource contacts demonstrate all necessary skills for their responsibilities.
– Role and purpose of human resource management in tourism:
A discussion of tourism cannot take place without including the topic of hospitality. And hospitality cannot exist without human resources to manage it. Customer satisfaction is dependent on the quality of service provided by employees in dozens of applications of tourism. In addition, while patrons to restaurants, hotels, and entertainment facilities may not always be tourists, the appeal to travelers can’t be denied.
BLS. gov (2014) published statistics related to the workforce in the hospitality industry. It stated 14, 762, 000 employees worked for the hospitality industry in America in October 2014. Each person was interviewed, hired, trained, and supervised through some type of human resource manager. The correlation between the needs of the tourism industry and human resources management is clear.
– Baltazar (2007) discussed the policies the Walt Disney Corporation uses for customer service. Emphasis is placed on the importance of evaluating a potential employee’s attitude. All employees are treated the same, even if they are temporary. New employees for the restaurant at Disney are walked through the role of a dining customer, starting with the parking lot. As much as possible, attention to the smallest detail strives for perfection and the customer realizes it either consciously or unconsciously. Effective human resources management listens to feedback from the employees; they notice the reactions of customers and offering input connects them to the success of the organization. To reward employees for good service, programs range from simple “ thank you” cards to lapel buttons to cash or gifts. Finally, training and reinforcement of customer service excellence carries into the area of telephone communications. This is often the first contact with a company.
– Wendy Bartlett and Ian Mitchell started catering as Bartlett Mitchell in 2000 and within nine years grew the business to a staff of 460 (The Caterer That Cares, 2007). The original objectives of the company included staff appreciation using systems for feedback and rewards for all levels of employees. The result is a staff that stays. Bartlett Mitchell measures results and hires people who share common values. This includes transitioning employees when a contract is awarded from another catering company.
Bartlett Mitchell also offers various types of training to increase efficiency and promote employee buy-in. By creating internal talent, the need to step outside the current workforce is reduced. However, when the need arises to do so, on-line recruitment and employee referrals provide an adequate pool of candidates.
– Supply and demand of people:
The challenge of human resource management in relation to tourism is acquiring and retaining quality staff. Truthfully, staff holds the lowest level of status in an organization and they frequently receive the least amount of money. In an effort to keep good staff, effective management seeks and hires the best candidates and trains them to the specifications of their responsibilities. Once there, the training is consistently measured and reinforced. Rewards programs and recognition assist in retaining the employees in place, and allowing them to become invested in the success of the business increases positive attitudes and commitment.
– Employment relations:
Employment in the hospitality industry presents numerous issues for the human resources manager to address. Much of the members of the employee base have a shortage of skills, language challenges, and cultural differences affecting training procedures. Labor protection law assists the individual in the workplace, but can hinder the effectiveness in acquiring superior staff members.
– Employment Laws and Management of Human Relations:
Employment law, also known in the United States as “ labor law”, are rules set in place to protect workers and businesses from unfair or unsafe practices (Hg. org, 2014). Labor laws address issues with wages, discrimination, freedom of speech, processes for severance of employment and more. Human resource management operates under the guidance of labor law and corporate policy and processes adhere to their dictates. Knowledge of the law is vital for human resources to quickly recognize potential problems in the workplace and address them quickly and efficiently.
– Conclusion:
It is the responsibility of human resource contacts in the tourism industry to understand the importance developing and maintaining the skills needed to obtain customer service satisfaction. Companies involved in the various aspects of tourism benefit from training and reinforcement of employee skills; they result in an enjoyable experience for the traveler and profitability for the business. United States Secretary Penny Pritzker released a statement that in October 2014, tourism in the United States from international travelers amounted to $18. 5 billion (Travel. trade. gov, 2014). This was an increase of approximately 3% over the same period last year. These record-breaking numbers are only possible through effective human relation management providing tourist satisfaction by maintaining superior staff in the tourism industry.

References

Baltazar, A. (2014). Do it like Disney. [online] Restaurant Business. Available at:
http://www. restaurantbusinessonline. com/improving-operations/ideas/articles/do-it-
disney [Accessed 23 Dec. 2014].
Bls. gov, (2014). Industries at a Glance: Leisure and Hospitality. [online] Available at:
http://www. bls. gov/iag/tgs/iag70. htm [Accessed 23 Dec. 2014].
Hg. org, (2014). Employment Law – Guide to Labor Law – HG. org. [online] Available at:
http://www. hg. org/employ. html [Accessed 23 Dec. 2014].
The Caterer That Cares. (2009). Caterer and Hotelkeeper, (198).
Travel. trade. gov, (2014). TI News: TI News Archive. [online] Available at:
http://travel. trade. gov/tinews/archive/tinews2014/20141218. html [Accessed 23 Dec.
2014].